Eric Dane to Exit ABC's GREY'S ANATOMY

EW.com has confirmed that Eric Dane, who portrayed plastic surgeon Mark Sloan on ABC's GREY'S ANATOMY since season 2, will exit the series in the middle of the upcoming ninth season. The actor, who earned the nickname 'McSteamy' due to his hot portrayal of Dr. Sloan on the series, will appear in a few episodes of next season in order to bring closure to his character's storyline.

Show creator Shonda Rhimes told TVLine, “After much consideration and conversations, he and I have decided that this is the right time for his storyline to end. We’re a big family here at Grey‘s with a long history together and Eric will always remain an important part of our family.”

In a statement, Dane commented, “I am extremely grateful to everyone at Grey’s, ABC and Shondaland for the experience and memories I have had over the course of this run. “It has been wonderful to work alongside and learn from a creative force, such as Shonda Rhimes.”

At the conclusion of last season, Dane's character was in a state of depression following a plane crash that took the life of the show's Lexi and left him with severe injuries.